Stanley Dance, the noted jazz critic, writer and producer came to the United States in 1958 to organize the sessions in this set for an affiliate of London Records (Felsted). He had been sponsored in this project by Sir Edward Lewis, the head of British Decca.

The result were nine legendary albums recorded in 1958 and 1959, and designed primarily for the European market under the generic name “Mainstream Jazz” —a description Dance is credited with coining.

This set brings together the complete Felsted recordings on 9 CDs, each of them a replica of the original LPs. It constitutes a wonderful jazz panorama of the mainstream style, with sessions led by outstanding jazzmen who had fine-turned their craft,and with a 44-page booklet attractively illustrated with photographs by Mike Youngman, all made even more enjoyable by Mr. Dance’s comprehensive notes.

Original recordings produced by Stanley Dance.
Liner notes by Stanley Dance.
Photography by Mike Youngman.

Produced by Jordi Pujol.

Stereo 24-Bit Digitally Remastered

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Note: The additional notes on each album were written by Stanley Dance during the 70's for the American label MJR (Master Jazz Recordings). Two of the albums do not include them because they were not reissued at the time.

This CD-box set is dedicated to the memory of Stanley Dance.

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Reviews:

"Jazz critic Stanley Dance came up with the term of “mainstream” to define the small group swing music that he loved since it was in the middle between Dixieland and bop. During 1958-59, the British-based writer came to the United States and supervised nine albums for the Felsted label featuring veteran American swing players. All of the music is reissued on Fresh Sound’s superb nine-CD box set.

Included are these albums: cornetist Rex Stewart’s Rendezvous With Rex, a record split between pianist Earl Hines and drummer Cozy Cole, clarinetist Buster Bailey’s All About Memphis, tenor-saxophonist Buddy Tate’s Swinging Like... Tate, Coleman Hawkins’ The High And Mighty Hawk, trombonist Dicky Wells’ Bones For The King, tenor-saxophonist Budd Johnson’s Blues A La Mode, pianist Billy Strayhorn’s Cue For Saxophone, and Dicky Wells’ Trombone Four-In-Hand. Along with the leaders, such major artists are featured as altoist Johnny Hodges (the main star of the Strayhorn set), trumpeters Buck Clayton, Charlie Shavers, Herman Autrey and Shorty Baker, reed players Haywood Henry, George Kelly, Hilton Jefferson and Garvin Bushell, trombonists Vic Dickenson and Quentin Jackson, pianists Willie “The Lion” Smith, Red Richards, Hank Jones and Ray Bryant, bassists Ray Brown and Major Holley, and drummer Jo Jones plus many lesser known but talented swing players who were active at the time in the New York area.

Whether it is Rex Stewart’s wit, Buster Bailey’s bluish originals, Buddy Tate’s working band from the Savoy, a four-trombone septet by Wells or Coleman Hawkins in superior form, there is a lot to enjoy on this perfectly conceived reissue of Stanley Dance’s Felsted recordings. Highly recommended.